ALAMEDA — Place kicker Giorgio Tavecchio was signed to the pracitce squad Friday, giving the Raiders insurance in case Sebastian Janikowski is unable to play in the regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans.

Tavecchio was with the Raiders throughout training camp did most of the kicking during the exhibition season. Janikowski has been listed as limited this week in practice with a back injury. The former Cal place kicker was not surprised by the call.

“Potentially, I was aware of it,” Tavecchio said. “I hung tight this week and it’s good to be back. You prepare as if you’re going to play and stay ready. It’s like we’ve been doing in the offseason, training camp and preseason games, the same kind of flow. I did the same lifts, the same kicking routine all week.”

Tavecchio, a four-year starter at Cal, has spent time with with the 49ers, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions organizations before joining the Raiders but never has kicked in a regular-season game.

To make room for Tavecchio, defensive end Max Valles was released from the practice squad. Tavecchio has never kicked in an NFL regular season game and missed an extra point and a field goal attempt during the Raiders exhibition season.

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Should the Raiders need to activate Tavecchio against the Titans, a player would need to be released from the 53-man roster. A determination must be made Saturday whether Tavecchio is promoted.

The Raiders brought in three place kickers for tryouts Monday with game experience who had been released at the final cutdown — Josh Lambo, Mike Nugent and Marshall Koehn.

All three of those kickers, however, are right-footed, and were presumably brought in to give Janikowski a sense of urgency about restructuring his contract. Tavecchio, like Janikowski, is left-footed and already has a rhythm with place kick holder Marquette King and long-snapper Jon Condo.

ESPN reported Wednesday Janikowski agreed to reduce his salary from $4,050,000 to a guaranteed $3 million with a chance to make back $250,000 should he convert on 83 percent of his field goal attempts this season.

— Cornerback Gareon Conley was listed as questionable with a shin injury and may not be active against Tennessee.

“Good to have him back out and practicing,” Del Rio said. “He was limited throughout the week. He’s also a guy that we’ll make a decision as we get closer to the game.”

Conley was in the Raiders locker room when the media was present, but a Raiders official said the rookie would not talk until after he’s played in a game.

— Fullback Jamize Olawale did not practice and will not make the trip to Tennessee. Besides being the lone fullback on the roster, Olawale is a core special teams player. Also not travelling will be safety Keith McGill (foot).

Linebacker Cory James, expected to start at weak side linebacker, was limited in practice and listed as questionable.